


Beautiful Beginning

by erini



Series: BAD END [4]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Pre-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Reader-Insert, Ultimate Despair (Dangan Ronpa)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:41:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27222916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erini/pseuds/erini
Summary: Everyone wants to forget their freshman year.
Relationships: Reader & Chisa Yukizome, Reader & Mahiru Koizumi, Reader & Nagito Komaeda, Reader & Sonia Nevermind
Series: BAD END [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1987495
Kudos: 7





	Beautiful Beginning

Life was good.

Life was _really_ good

You didn't have to attend classes.

You didn't have to socialize.

You could take things at your own pace.

~~And you were living the life with only 3 hours of sleep.~~

"Mr. Aoyama, can you get this revised script to Takumi? He made some suggestions the other day, so I printed up another version of his lines. And also send this to Aya, she needs to be putting more emotion into this scene. These are some pointers I thought of, so tell her if she's stuck just come check with me." 

"Right away, Director!"

The man hurried away, carrying the script that you just handed him. Sighing, you leaned back into your chair and sipped at your energy drink. It was nice being the Ultimate Film Director and all, but the stress and fatigue of the job was just a consequence of doing what you loved.

Overlooking the production set, you felt your smile knowing that you were the cause of all this. Making short films was a fine way to hone your talent. Large, public movies took time and resources with the end product appearing in theaters a year late at least.

Besides, even if you weren't attending classes, you still lived in the dorms, attended classes for exams, and did research with the staff. Even with the tedious duties of being a Hope’s Peak Academy student, it still left you with enough time to direct short movies and enter film festivals. 

"Heh heh, [name], you're a goddamn genius," you muttered to yourself, pulling your sunglasses down to hide the dark shadows under your eyes, which were slowly drooping, slowly fluttering close—aaaaand another swig of coffee. 

A rush of energy ran through your veins, making your fingers twitch around the tin. 

Film directing wasn't just about making movies. There were a lot of other components from team coordination to communication to script interpretation. And it made you swell with pride when you realized how easily you handled being in control. Even if you weren't in front of the camera, you had the most power.

After indulging in your pride, you began to walk towards the sound editing crew, wanting to follow up on the soundtrack.

But, you stopped after hearing a loud voice calling out.

"Excuseeeee me, do you have Miss [name] [surname] here?! I'm her new homeroom teacher, Chisa Yukizome!"

You turned towards the wooden barriers that separated the film set (part of a college campus you deemed was good enough setting) and the rest. A woman with long orange hair styled into a ponytail climbed over the barrier, her long apron covering up her underwear as a blessing in disguise. Her green eyes scanned the set before settling onto you, causing you to flinch.

There was a predatory glint and you were the helpless prey.

"There you are!!!"

She ran towards you at full speed, but before she could tackle you down or whatever she was about to do you called out at the top of your lungs. "Security, security!"

Before this Chisa person can lay her hands on you, a pair of large burly men with black shirts and slacks grabbed at her. Each one twisted her arms to the back, lifting the young woman up. "W-What's with this cold treatment, Miss [name]?! I'm your homeroom teacher!" Chisa protested, seemingly undisturbed that she was being hoisted off the ground by two 200 hundred pound men.

Your brow twitched, expression morphed by confusion. "What the heck are you talking about? My homeroom teacher is Koichi Kizakura. He said that we don't have to attend class, even," you said to her, hands on your hips. Kizakura, a talent scout for Hope's Peak, was your 'supposed' homeroom teacher. ‘Supposed’ was a loose term.

He was drunk most of the time he did attend class.

Or he was busy scouting potential students. Either way, you never saw much of the man before you went off and did your own thing.

This Chisa person frowned. "…That's right, but today I've been officially tasked by the headmaster to your class' homeroom teacher!" she explained cheerfully. Coupled with an angelic face, you would have been ecstatic to have a dedicated woman as your teacher.

However, you didn't like the idea of being dragged around to an empty classroom when you could be doing what you _loved_. Rather than sitting around with classmates—strangers, really—for eight hours a day made you nervous. Especially when there were better things to do.

Hands on your hips, you placed your best expression of stubbornness, not willing to leave when you were in the middle of directing. It would just put you to shame if you were going to put out a half-baked product!

"Right, congrats on the promotion," you say to Chisa, trying not to sound sarcastic (but completely failing). "But, c'mon seriously. Even if this is a short film, I'm gonna give it my all directing and leading these guys."

She frowns at you, disappointment clear on her face. "That's not a good mindset!" she scolds you, lips puckered in a pout. "I know you have a responsibility as a director, but film-making can wait. Enjoying your youth _can't_! Don't you want to make some memories with your classmates?" Chisa smiled at you, luring you to give attendance a try. She looked so trustworthy, so caring.

However, you didn't want to leave your set like this! If you let your work go unguarded, then there was no telling what would happen!

Crossing your arms, brows furrowing, you said, "Why should I give it my all to an empty classroom? If everyone doesn't want to be there and just wants to fuck off and hone their talents, then I'll do the same!" Her smile dipped, her bright expression clouding over.

"Is…is that what you really think?"

~~It was.~~

_It wasn't._

You stayed silent, eyes combative. Chisa stared back, shoulders laxing as she let out a heavy sigh. Her head dropped and you expected her to have given up right then and there—until her head snapped back upwards, determination lighting up her delicate features.

"Then, I'll change that! As a housekeeper, I'm great at providing a satisfying service to my clients— I mean my students!" Chisa declared. You would have been touched if she wasn't still being held down by a pair of security guards.

Completely floored by your homeroom teacher, you resisted the urge to melt into the ground from confusion and fatigue. "W-What the heck are you talking about…?" From Chisa's first appearance, you could tell that she was a stubborn sort of character and as the Former Ultimate Housekeeper, you were correct to assume that she was the mother-hen type. You expected craziness from a fellow Ultimate, but even Chisa managed to knock you off balance with her fierce determination.

She wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

' _Are all former Ultimates like this? Do they get loopy when they leave high school? Is this my future?'_ you wondered worriedly. 

She stretched her hand out towards you like she was trying to shake your hand. "How about just _one day_ as a class?” she asked you, holding up her index finger. “If you're not satisfied, then I won't bother you again. 

Chisa locked eyes with you and you could see her unwavering determination, overwhelming your own resolve just slightly. Her green irises, seeing nothing but a plea for trust. Despite your will, surely nothing could go wrong if you were going to be gone for a day, right?

"…alright, you win, you win," you yielded and waved at the guards. They immediately dropped Chisa to the ground, where she gently landed on her feet. "Just let me give my notebook to Mr. Hyuuga."

"Notebook?"

"Yeah. It's just something I write down all my stuff in whenever I film something. Didn't I say that I give my all when I'm directing?” you say to Chisa, holding your prized notebook gently in your hands. “My notebook has all the details about everything on set. If he follows that, then we're all good."

* * *

When did a classroom door ever look so imposing?

Chisa just left you, so you make introductions with the rest of the class. She figured that teenagers can talk more freely if a teacher wasn’t in the room. Which was a valid point, but these teenagers were Ultimates! You were excited to see such exciting characters, but _talking_ to them, _socializing_??? 

What a turn-off.

Adjusting your bag, you practiced your introduction in your head, simulations of conversations and situations running through your mind.

Someone greets you at the front of the classroom, you give your practiced introduction that the researchers drilled into you (My name is [name] [surname], Ultimate Film Director. Nice to meet you all), you listen to the others, make small talk, sit down at your seat (where did you sit again?), then you try not to worry about leaving your production crew for the rest of the day.

' _You have a plan, [name]_ ,' you assured yourself. _'You got this. This is one of the few things that you can control. There's nothing to worry about._ ' Sighing deeply, you felt your heart calm down from your meager words of encouragement. Turning the knob, you apprehensively entered the classroom.

You found yourself underneath the gaze of 15 pairs of eyes, the sound of the creaking metal drawing their attention. Ignoring the instinct to shrink and look at the floor, you instead tried to muster up as much confidence as you could. Thinking about the classroom as a movie set was enough to calm your nerves and seeing your classmates strangers as nothing more than characters made you feel better.

With that sentiment in mind, you gave a friendly grin towards the class. "Hello! Did Ms. Yukizome drag you guys here, too?"

A red-headed girl approached you, hands on a camera around her neck. In comparison to the other Ultimates, the girl seemed plain in appearance, nothing notable besides her red hair and the freckles that dusted themselves across her face. And since she was the first to greet you…you guessed that she was the friendly type. She was really cute in a Plain Jane sort of way.

"That's right," the stranger nodded. "Though…I was one of the students that kept on attending class. I haven't seen you since the first week of school. I'm Mahiru Koizumi, the Ultimate Photographer."

' _Oh, this girl! I wanted to talk to her before!_ ' you remembered. Your talent was closely entwined with Mahiru's, mostly because you both dealt with cameras. Photography and filming were two sides of the same coin, talents that were meant to capture moments in time. Initially, you were eager to talk with the Ultimate Photographer; but, you ditched class in favor for directing the movie set.

"I remember you," you grinned. "So, I'm guessing Ms. Yukizome had you help out in gathering all the students here?" 

Mahiru nodded, "Yeah. But, we couldn’t find you anywhere. Did you leave campus?"

Chisa's forceful introduction resurfaced in your mind. By this time, you should be talking with the sound guys and Baker's Dozen would be slated for release in a few months. Biting down the desire to rush back to the set, you continued to talk to Mahiru.

"Yup. I was downtown directing."

Mahiru's eyes widened. "R-Really?! Huh, so even the teacher has the guts to barge right into a movie set to gather us all up…" she muttered, finger placed thoughtfully on her chin.

_'That's an understatement.'_

"I admire Ms. Yukizome's drive, but Jesus Christ…" you said as Mahiru nodded sagely.

"…She's a scary one, that teacher." The conversation dropped before your eyes swept through the classroom, some of the students still had their eyes trained on you and some already looked away in disinterest. Following your gaze, Mahiru suddenly understood.

"I almost forgot! Ms. Yukizome wanted you to greet everyone, huh? Well, we can talk more later, [name]," Mahiru promised with a smile, taking a seat at what you assumed to be her desk where a small blonde child(?) was glaring at you.

Besides the Ultimate Photographer, you weren't familiar with your other classmates. Afterall, you haven't seen them in two months. Debating on who to talk to next, you were suddenly approached by another girl.

She stood tall, poised and elegant. Blonde hair flowed down her back like a river of gold and blue eyes scanned you with a kind and admiring gaze. Her hands were tucked neatly together, a picture of order and politeness. The girl gave you a small courtesy, "You must be the famed Ultimate Film Director, [name] [surname], correct?! I am pleased to make your acquaintance, you see, I'm a big fan of your films!"

Your gaze narrowed, lips puckered together.

' _Fuck_ ,' you cursed. ' _This school...has some really hot students. I hate this._ '

Controlling your mini-crush on the girl, you gave her a friendly smile. "Yup, that's me. And you are?"

The blonde gasped, hand raising towards her mouth. "How rude of me! We're classmates, first and foremost. I should have introduced myself in the beginning," she said before collecting herself. "My name is Sonia Nevermind, princess of Novoselic. My title is the Ultimate Princess."

You paused, processing her statement. "W-Whoa…! A princess is a fan of my movies?!" On instinct, you inched closer to Sonia, carefully enough that you didn't enter her personal space. "Which ones?! I'm always happy to meet a fan!"

It seemed she didn't mind how eager you were becoming as Sonia's face widened into a grin, your excitement infectious. "Well, I really love your horror movies! The psychological ones are good, too. But, as of recently, I've been trying that found-footage genre after your film, _www.motherofall.com_ _."_ There was a strange glint in her eyes as she said that.

…Which was a little strange since you even considered that movie a little horrific for your taste—depressing until the very end.

You squinted at her dubiously. "Really now? You like horror movies where the ending is basically the start of the human apocalypse?"

Sonia nodded vigorously. "Yes! It was interesting to explore the concept of humanity all through a video-screen. I was initially very turned-off from found footage films as they have many cheap jump scares, but yours was wonderful!" The Princess' earnest tone told you that her praise was genuine. You had your doubts from how such a dainty looking girl could stomach one of your more depressing films. But, then you reminded yourself: She's an Ultimate.

You couldn't just assume that you knew people. These Ultimates didn't abide by character tropes like others. They were truly interesting.

Intrigued at the Ultimate Princess, you give Sonia a playful smirk. "I see…I'm glad you love it, um…Miss Sonia?" you commented, question hanging in the air. You weren't sure how to address her. Did she prefer to be just classmates or have some respect as a princess? Sonia's eyes hardened and she shook her head, hand immediately shooting out in front of her in a gesture for you to stop.

"No need for formalities! Please, just treat me as any other normal teenage girl!" You resisted the urge to kneel down in the middle of the desk aisle.

"R-Right, Mis—I mean, Sonia. Um, by the way, do you remember the seating order? I haven't been here for so long that I forgot."

"Oh, yes." Sonia pointed to an empty seat in the last row by the window. "Right over there."

You felt yourself frown. _'How cliché. I have the protagonist seat.'_

Giving your thanks to Sonia, you made your way to your seat to wait out for class to start. You had promised to introduce yourself to the class, but you were concerned with how production was going. Sighing, you thought to yourself, _'It's not like I don’t have faith in everyone. I just feel better if I can supervise everything…Well, next day I’ll head back to the set and forget this ever happened_.'

Lost in your worries and thoughts, you didn't notice until it was too late, the ground giving way and gravity taking its course. You fell forwards with a loud yelp, bag opening from the force of impact. The ground rushed towards you, overcoming your vision until you met face first with the wooden floor.

The rush of concerned gasps and mischievous snickers became white noise that you paid no heed to. All you can register in the midst of your humiliation was a gentle hand wrapping around your forearm and pulling you upwards.

"A-Are you okay?!" a concerned voice asked. You gently lifted yourself up, gaze glue to the ground and voice rendered speechless from how fucking embarrassed you were. Whoever aided you carefully guided you to their seat and once you got your bearings, you were able to finally focus on the person in front of you.

He was…a pretty face. In a sickly kind of way. White hair stood out wildly, though you could see the hints of faint color towards the ends. In contrast to his hair, the stranger's eyes were a nice deep green and the concerned expression he wore would have normally made you swoon. 

If not for the how you _oh-so-gracefully_ fell face first into the ground.

"W-Wait…be careful, Nagito!" another voice joined in, high-pitched and strained with worry. "She might have some bruising, so handle her gently!"

The person tending to you…also kinda hot. Long choppy purple hair and teary grey eyes, the girl gave off a vulnerable and fragile air that vaguely reminded you of Dom from Animal Crossing. You could tell from the bandages that decorated her cheek and legs that she must have been through a lot, and it was a big enough hint that she must be an Ultimate in the medical profession.

"I'm sorry…" he apologized. "I thought it would be a waste to leave all this soda around. I stacked them up so carefully, I didn't think it would be a problem." The stranger looked at his hand, a self-deprecating twinkle in his eyes. "To injure an Ultimate like this. I'm lower than trash. Please, feel free to give me any type of punishment you see fit."

.

.

.

What were you supposed to say to that? _Agree_ with him? _Disagree_ with him?

Maybe the best option was to ignore that statement entirely.

"Okay, then…" you said, eager to get away from the boy's negativity. "But, thanks for the helping hand…Nagito, was it?"

His face lights up, lips and eyes wide with mirth like a child during Christmas. You would have thought it to be cute if not for his apology that lingered in your memory.

"You know my name, what an honor! To remember a bug like me…I'm getting tingly about what bad luck is going to come my way later on."

The pain you felt was starting to fade away, becoming replaced with fatigue at Nagito's strange behavior. You might have been expecting quirky from a fellow Ultimate, but Nagito seemed to be on another level.

_'Dude, the girl literally just said your name. How…?'_

You chalked it up to being an Ultimate, but decided that this Nagito person was interesting. If you were going to class tomorrow, you probably would have hung out with him.

"By the way," you start, "What did I slip on again?"

The bandaged female lifted up a dented green soda can, the lettering spelling out 'Dr. Hopper'. It was the same brand of soda stacked up on the desk you were sitting on. "I-It was this can o-o-of soda," she stuttered out, eyes screwed shut.

You glared at the soda can, ' _You're on sight, Dr. Hopper.'_

"That would be mine," Nagito spoke up with a bright smile. "You see it started with a soda machine and then it ended with a truck." Behind Nagito, you can see one of your classmates shuddering in his blue jumpsuit. You didn’t want to ask Nagito about it.

Sensing your discomfort, the female gently looked over your arms. "A-Anyways, it doesn't seem that you have any bruising…I think it would be best if we head to the nurs-"

"Hey, what's that?"

You cut the girl off so suddenly that she flinched. Pointing at the ground, she followed your gaze. "Ah, I think that fell out of your bag when you tripped," Nagito answered, picking it up for you. You took it gratefully.

It was one of your notebooks used to write whatever idea came to your mind. Your notebooks contained every actor, role, direction, everything whenever you were working on a project. And this particular spelled out to you in your neat handwriting.

_Baker's Dozen_

"…Holy fuck."

You shot up from the chair, the tower of Dr. Hopper Can's shaking from your sudden movement. "I'm going to the bathroom now!" you said, nearly shouting. Even in your ears, your words sounded stiff and forced.

"B-Bathroom?!"

"Y-Yeah, so if Ms. Yukizome comes by tell her that!" you added. Scrambling out of Nagito's desk, you went towards the door before either of the two could stop you. "Tell her I was so nervous then I went to the bathroom—Oh!I don’t know! Just tell her whatever if she comes by!"

* * *

Quickly shutting the door behind you, Nagito and Mikan simply watched your awkward exit.

"S-She's not coming back…is she?" Mikan asked worriedly, fingers fidgeting.

Nagito laughed. "Nope."

* * *

Leaving the school building was easy.

Leaving the campus was _not._

Despite living in the dorms, you weren't familiar with the school. Your daily life had consisted of spending time outside of Hope's Peak and then coming back to your dorm, research period, or examination. 

To your dorm and back, that was the way you lived.

But, now that Chisa was prowling around, you ran into her more than once. Thus, leading you to your current predicament: finding a way to avoid your zealous homeroom teacher.

A gasp left your lips, spotting Chisa just a few feet away from your hiding place. Her green eyes were alert, scanning the area for what you assumed to her finals student. And trailing behind her was another student, a young man that looked about your age. He wore the school's uniform with a green tie and there seemed to be an timid and submissive presence, trailing after Chisa like a lost puppy.

You gave your condolences to your classmate. "RIP, fellow classmate, but I'm different."

When Chisa and her student walked away, let out a sigh of relief before gathering yourself. ' _Alright, so I know the exit is all the way across campus,' you thought to yourself. 'The only problem is that Chisa is fast._ ' Recalling how speedily she leapt over the barriers of your movie set and raced towards you. If it wasn't for the security guards, you were positive Chisa would have run over you.

Deep in thought, your eyes scanned over your area until you caught sight of something that should be considered nothing short of a miracle.

Grinning, you rushed over to the janitorial cart, a golf cart outfitted for cleaning purposes, and checked the ignition.

The keys were still inside.

* * *

_'I'm doing pretty well for someone who doesn't have any driver's training.'_

Despite your positive way of thinking, your driving was anything but. Pressed closely against the wheel, your line of vision was minimized. However, it did little to deter you as you steadily made your way off campus. The silly grin, fueled by adrenaline of driving and the thought of leaving Hope's Peak, made you look dangerous.

You took a right into an empty courtyard, the soft trickling of water reaching your ears. If you continued your progress, then you could make it back to the movie set in an hour or so. Entering the courtyard, you were about to make a right before your eyes caught sight of someone slightly familiar.

In the air, there was a cheap chipper music of a videogame.

You made a left and stopped in front of the fountain.

A boy and girl sat at the edges of the fountain, the former entranced as you stopped the golf cart in front of them. The latter…was occupied with a video game console. The boy blinked out at your sudden arrival.

"E-Excuse me, who are you?" he asked, brow quirked.

You ignored him because the girl seemed a bit familiar. Then, it hit you: you saw her in the entrance ceremony! "Hey...gamer girl" you called out to her, realizing that you didn’t know her name. "Are you in Class 77-B?"

She doesn't even look up, only gives a brief nod and a hum of affirmation. From how intently she was focusing on that videogame, it didn’t take a genius to guess what her talent was.

 _'She…must be the Ultimate Gamer or something right?_ ' you guessed, observing how the girl didn’t even look up in your direction. ' _Well, whatever. I would feel bad if I didn’t give her a fair warning for that feral teacher of ours._ '

"…I see," you muttered. "Well, just to let you know our new homeroom teacher is hunting us down and forcing us to attend class. So, watch out."

She gives a slow nod, “Alright. I’ll be careful.” The girl continued playing her game, causing the boy next to her to chuckle awkwardly. You wonder if she truly comprehended your words. ' _Anyways, I've done my civic duty. Now, it's time for my director duties_.' 

Lifting your foot off the brake, you were about to make a turn and head right before someone stopped you.

"W-Wait one second!" Hands on the wheel, you stepped on the brake and turned. The boy was talking to you. Huh, now that you got a good look at him, you just had to wonder…

_'If I touch his antenna will it stab me through the hand?'_

"You're in Chiaki's class? And you want to leave…campus?" he asked, genuinely confused and hurt. Your full attention was on the male, who was dressed in a strange black and white business suit. Now that you looked closer, was he wearing a school uniform?

At the stranger's inquiry, you raised a brow. It wasn’t any of his business to know what you did off campus.

"Duh," you say to him, lips quirking into a sarcastic smile. "No offense, but I have something to do and it's important to me." Redirecting your gaze forwards, you didn't notice how sullen the stranger became. To say that with such confidence, to say that you had a purpose struck the male with a feeling of intense jealousy.

Just as quickly as it came, that intense envy was put out like a flame when a certain someone started calling out to you.

"Ah, Chiaki! And…[name]?"

You froze and turned. 

Right behind you was Chisa and the pudgy student that you saw from earlier. The blood drained from your face and without warning, you stepped on the gas.

"You can’t do this to me, Ms. Yukizomeeeee!!!" you screamed, making a sharp turn to the right. You heard harsh screams from the boy you spoke with and your supposed classmate. "I need to do this!” 

Chisa sprinted towards you, however she was no match for your reckless driving and panic impulses. "[nameeeee], what the heck are you doing?!" she screamed, chasing after you.

Another sharp turn into a corner towards the school building, trying to lose Chisa in the vast campus that is Hope's Peak Academy. Mind and body on an overdrive, you eased your foot off the pedal, still going fast but not a speed where you could break your neck. There was a dull ache in your teeth and you gently unclenched your jaw.

Prying your left hand off the wheel, you gently rubbed at your jaw. ' _Man, I'm tense,_ ' you think to yourself, taking a left turn to who-knows-where. To be honest, you were quite lost and trying to find one of the exits was a task you weren't equipped to handle. It seemed that your lack of time in the academy was biting you in the ass.

But, still you drove, an aimless journey in an attempt to leave the school.

' _Jeez_ ,' you bemoaned, face puckered into a tight frown. ' _Chisa Yukizome…she's crazy determined. Or maybe just crazy. What's so important about spending time with your classmates, anyways? After we graduate, we won't ever see each other_ —'

"H-Hey, you over there!"

"Hm?"

You brake, keeping the key in the ignition and turn your gaze towards the tree. Shyly peeking out from the trees was the boy from before. He slowly approached your golf cart, eyes averted from your gaze. "U-Um…are you trying to escape that crazy homeroom teacher, too?"

Fully emerged from the trees, you observed him. Just as you thought, this student was shy, his voice soft and wavering. Similar to the male student from the fountain, he was rather plain in appearance except for his size. You brushed it off as an Ultimate thing.

Your classmates were distinctive in their appearances, so it made sense that the same applied to him.

Giving your classmate a brief you nod, you added, "Yeah, that’s right. Did Ms. Yukizome kidnap you, too?"

He grimaced, fingers twiddling together in a nervous gesture. "I wouldn’t say 'kidnapped'…" 

You rolled your eyes. "Alright then, Imma head out. Good luck with Ms. Yukizome," you deadpanned, foot off the brake.

"A-Ah, wait!!!" he screamed at you, hand outstretched in a feeble attempt to stop your departure. You glared back at him, eyes narrowed in impatience and annoyance.

"What?" you hissed, though had a faint idea of what he was going to ask.

At your harsh tone, the male hastily ripped his eyes from you, an apologetic expression painted on his face. "Aren’t you lost? You've been just wandering the school grounds for almost an hour," he said softly. His hazel eyes flickered towards yours, gaze holding steady.

"There's an exit near the school dorms. I can lead you there, if you give me a ride." 

You briefly debated the options: he was your classmate, so you had the same goals of escaping Chisa and his guidance could be your way out of the school and go back to the movie set. But, there was also the possibility that he could hinder your escape. ' _Well, if push comes to shove, I can always sacrifice the guy to Ms. Yukizome_ ,' you mused, thought laced with guilt.

It was a last resort, but you were starting to get desperate to leave, to return to set, to make sure that your film production went smoothly. If the final product turned out to be a critical failure because you weren't there, you don’t know what you were going to do…

You smirked at your classmate, trying to replace your nervousness with a mask of confidence. "Alright, deal."

He nodded and went into the passenger seat, clicking on the seatbelt. _'Well, shit. I might as well as have failed the driver's test. Maybe this is a sign that I wasn't meant to be in a car?_ ' Seeing the gesture, you slowly did the same, snapping the seatbelt across your waist.

_'Oh, well! What's done is done, I guess!'_

After resolving your small conflict of safe driving, you turned towards the male. "By the way, Ms. Yukizome said that you were my classmate. Care for an introduction?"

The male's face lit up, realizing how true your words were. "Oh! That’s right. My name is Ryota Mitarai, the Ultimate Animator."

* * *

The roof of the dorm buildings hovered in the distance, a true ray of hope. Ryota's face broke out into a grin, relief flooding his expression that you would have thought he was going to cry.

"There it is!" Ryota exclaimed excitedly. Your driving…wasn't the best to say the least as you kept running into corners and speeding at random times. Yet, you don’t seem to be willing to give up the wheel.

"My dorm is the second building from the right," he explained to you, pointing to a building towards the far end of the communal area. "After that, the exit in the dorm area should be on the west from here."

"Roger!" You make a gut-wrenching right turn, causing Ryota's stomach to drop and bile rose to his throat. Bravely swallowing his lunch down, his hands gripped the seatbelt in a desperate effort to steady himself. And comfort his racing heart. With your maniacal laugh, driving with you was like taking a trip to Hell.

Taking the golf cart towards Ryota's dorm, you prepared to park in front of the door he was pointing at. Nearing the door, you were about to hit the brake before you heard a piercing voice cut through the air.

"I knew you would come back here!!!" Coming out from the back of the dorm building, Chisa entered your line of vision in a slow and dramatic fashion, a bright and brilliant growing on her face. She approached the front of your cart, in a slow and menacing fashion in a true final boss fashion.

She stopped, hands on her hips. The smug smirk disappeared from Chisa' smile, replaced with a stern expression and radiated 'disappointed mom' energy. "[name]…I can't believe you left the class again," she said, voice low with dismay. Her deep gaze made you feel the desire to get out of the cart and apologize, but you bit back the instinct. There was something you just had to do first.

You gripped the wheel tighter, eyes ablaze with determination. Sharply turning your head towards Ryota, you gave the Animator a wide shit-eating grin. "W-What do you plan on doing?" he inquired in a quivering tone.

"Ryota, you said that the exit off campus is on the west side of the dorm, right?"

He did.

Just as you asked the question, you made an abrupt turn in the direction that Ryota stated before, feet flat on the gas. "[n-n-n-ame]?!" he screamed at you, back pressed against the plush leather seat as you circled around the dorm area. "What are you doooooing?!"

Leaving Chisa in the dust, she blinked once then twice before finally processing that you were giving up. She feebly outstretched her hand, a vain effort to stop you from leaving. "What do you think you're doing?! That’s dangerous!"

"Soooorry!" you screamed back, already half-way. "I just need to give my team this notebook of mine real quick!"

"Noteb—Augh!!" Ryota's inquiry was cut off in another rush of speed. 

"Hold on, Ryota," you warned him, making another turn towards the exit. "We're gonna Fast and Furious this shit."

"A-Are you crazy?! Stop! Why-Why are you weaving through the dorms?!"

You rolled your eyes. "To lose Ms. Yukizome, duh. A golf cart doesn't go as fast as a car, so I wanted to lose her in this dorm area so I can have a clear path towards the exit." Recalling how Chisa so swiftly entered your set, you had no doubt that she knew where you were going to go. "If I don't, she's just gonna follow me straight back to my movie set."

Ryota was stunned at how your stupid your logic was. That kind of foolishness was something he couldn’t ever emulate. In fact, it was scary to think the limits of an Ultimate's idiocy.

"W-What are you—"

"Whoa!"

Along with Ryota, the both of you let out a surprised gasp as your speeding and constant turning went and bit you in the ass. A sudden shift in gravity, your core suddenly shifting towards your side, and time seemed to stop for a short moment.

It would be an understatement to say that your life flashed before your eyes as time paused. You were still young, there were still things you wanted to do—at the very least you wanted to see _Baker's Dozen_ finished.

If you died, then you couldn’t say that you led a boring life.

* * *

"Oh, I should have stopped her. She was acting so irrationally, I should have foresaw this. If I did, then both [name] and Ryota would have been fine."

Antiseptic tickled your nose, stinging the back of your throat. Underneath the tight sheets, you shifted, groaning when you felt your limbs ache. Groaning, your eyes slowly opened, slivers of bright white light stinging your vision. Immediately, you closed them.

"Ah, [name], you're awake!" It was Chisa's voice, relief tampering her voice into a soft breathy tone. "…Thank goodness. I can't believe a student got injured on my first day. The Headmaster is going to be so upset."

Your lips pursed tighter, brows furrowed. A wave of guilt overcame you at your teacher's forlorn face. Even if you were the Ultimate Film Director, constantly going wherever your creative instincts tugged, it didn’t stop you from causing collateral damage.

It doesn't mean you didn't feel bad about it.

Biting your lip, you said to Chisa, "I'm sorry. I'll explain the situation to the Headmaster—"

"Oh. I did. You're not suspended. But, your punishment includes extended at least 30 hours of research for two weeks and a permanent ban on operating vehicles on the campus."

"What."

Chisa chuckled, "Anyways, it turned out well in the end, didn't it? Ryota didn't get injured and he's being tended by Mikan right now. And everyone is waiting for you two back in the classroom. Nagito was quite worried when he heard that you were injured. He thought he caused it, hahaha!"

"W-What was the previous thing you said—"

"And, the reason you wanted to leave campus so badly, it was to give the right notebook to your production crew, right?"

You blinked at her, head spinning from Chisa's words. An overload of information and sensations that needed to be sorted and filed away. "O-One thing at a time…Um, what did you say about my notebook? D-Did it burn or something in the crash?" you inquired her timidly, eyes frantically searching the room for your bag. 

Chisa smiled at you. "Don't worry! I kinda figured that was your aim, so while you were unconscious I gave that notebook to your production crew," she explained. "You’re really detailed, aren’t you? That entire notebook was filled with plans and details about your co-workers. You really care for them and your craft. I can see why the title of the Ultimate Film Director suits you."

"Are you buttering me up, teacher?" you ask her with a slight smirk, a light blush on your face. Despite your confidence, you were still flattered with Chisa's praise. "I, the mastery in flattery, can tell you that you’re doing great." She chuckled.

"I'm glad your sense of humor is still intact. But, onto the matter at hand." Her face shifted, stiffening into professionalism. "After all this, you still won't attend class like I asked you?"

You bit the inside of your cheek, a well of guilt springing up inside your gut. Considering everything you've done and the way you injured Ryota, there was no way you could reject Chisa's request.

Sighing loudly, you turned your head away from Chisa, a futile gesture of childish embarrassment.

"…fine."

Chisa brightened. "Heh heh, good! Then, get better! And I'll see you in class tomorrow!" 

**Author's Note:**

> https://erinin.tumblr.com/


End file.
